Sylvania



. Patented July 5, I898.

J. CHALMERS, 1n. SWITCH AND-SIGNAL MECHANISM.

3'Sh'eets'Sheet l.

(Application filed Nov. 11 (No Model.)

INVENTOR,

Atty.

all, 1

WITNESSES:

m: uonms vnzns ca. moroumo" wAsmNGYom p. c

N0. 606,80l. Pammm July 5, I898. J. CHALMERS, 1R. SWITCH AND SIGNALMECHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. 11, 1897.)

3 Shear-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' FIE-5.4.

H MMJ /Y mvsuron,

8 9 B N u l d e t n e t a P VS Dn E M L A H c I.

No. 606,80l.

GHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. 11, 1897.)

SWITCH I\ ND SIGNAL ME 3 Sheets8het 3.

(No'ModeL) m: Norms PETERS co PNOYO-UTND" wAsumomu, 0.1:.

w p Q c i v f U IT D STATES FFICE.

J MEs GHALMERS, JR, or PITTSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONswrron AND SIGNAL ooMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENN- SYLVANIA.

SWITCH AND SIG NAL MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,801, dated July5,1898. Application filed Noveinber11,1897. Serial No. 658,176. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES CHALMERs, J r., av

citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certainnew and useful Improvements in Switch and Signal Mechanism, of whichimprovements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in switchand signal apparatus, and pertains more particularly to that class orkind known in the art as groundlevers and employed for the operation ofoutlying switches,where it is necessary or desirable to have the signalindicating the position of such switch located-a considerable distancefrom the switch.

The invention has for its object a construction and arrangement ofmechanism whereby the switch and signal may be shifted in the order ormanner required by a continuous movement of a lever and the switch orsignal, as the case may be, locked in its shifted position.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed. 7

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my improved mechanism,showingthe position of the parts when the switch is at clear main line and thesignal is in safety position. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, the planeof section being indicated by the line II II, Fig. 1. Figs. 3'and 5 areviews similar to Fig. 1, showing the position of the parts inintermediate position and also in final position--i. 6., with the switchopen to siding and the signal in danger position.

Figs. 4 and 6 are views similar to 'Fig. 2," which show, respectively,the position of the cured the arms 4 and 4, provided at their outer endswith radial slots 5. A signal-opcrating wheel 6, provided with a groovedperipheryfor the reception of the wire or chain leading to the signal,is loosely mounted on the shaft 2, as is also an arm 7, which isconnected in any suitable manner to the movable switch-rails, said wheeland arm being intermediate between the arms 4 4. Apin 8 is passedthrough the slots 5 and a slot 9 in the wheel 6; This slot in the wheel6 is'form'ed for a portion of its length concentric withthe center ofthe wheel and the remaining portion shaped to form a socket or pocket10, connecting with the main portion of theslot. 'By this constructionthe wheel 6 can be rotated by the arms 4 and '4 as long as the pin 8remains within the pocket 10. If the rota-v tion of thewheel be checkedby any means as, for example, by a shoulder 11 formed on its side comingin contact with a stop 12 formed on the base of the frameand themovement of the arms 4 4 be continued, the pin 8 will move out of thepocket and into the main portion of the slot, along which it can movefreely without shifting the wheel. While not necessary for the operationof the maehine,it is preferred to.for1n grooves 13in the inner wallsofthe side plates 10, corresponding to the path of movement of the endsof the pin 8, which project into said grooves and are steadied andguided thereby.

With the wheel 6 and arms 4 4 in the position shown in Fig. 1 amovementof the arms .up and toward the left will cause the wheel 6 to move inthedirection of the arrow a, as the pin 8 is within the pocket 10 of theslot in said wheel. By continued rotation of these parts the shoulder 11on the wheel will be brought against thestop 12 and check the movementof the wheel, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and on the 'continuedmovementof the arms 4 and 4 the pin 8 will 'ride'upoverthe shoulder. a in theslot in the wheel and pass into'the main or regular portion of'saidfslot, thepinmoving outand in in'theradial slots in the arms 4 and4. The disengagement of the pin 8 from the pocket 10 and its. movementtoward the outer ends of the radial slots in the arms 4 and 4 isassisted by shoulders Ioo 1), corresponding in shape and size to theshoulder a, and so located in the grooves 13 in the side plates 3 thatwhen the wheel is checked by contact of the shoulder 11 with stop 12they will be in alinement with the shoulder a in the slot of Wheel 6. Asthe pin 8 passes out of the pocket 10 and into the main portion of theslot 9 it will move behind a horn or projection ll, formed on the end ofan angular extension on the switeh-shifting arm 7, so that said arm willbe caused to move with the arms 4: and 4 during the remaining portionsof their movement, which is sufficient to effect a shifting of theswitch-rails from normal or closed position to open position.

It is desirable, if not necessary, to lock the switch-rails in normalposition-1'. 6., clear main lineand the signal in danger position. Toeffect these lockings, I provide a bar 15, arranged in suitable guidesformed on the base-plate. This bar is provided with shoulders orprojections 16 and 17, adapted to engage, respectively, notches formedin the switch-arm '7, or a projection 18, formed integral therewith, andwith the projection or shoulder 11 or a notch formed in the periphery ofthe wheel 6. These projections 10 and 17 are so located that when one ofthem, as 16, is in engagement with the notch or lateral projection 18 onthe arm Tthe other shoulder or projection 17 will be out of engagementwith the wheel 6. The bar 15 is shifted'to its different positions by acam plate 19, formed on the outer end of an arm 20,which is attached tothe shaft 2, so as to move therewith, and is preferably formed integralwith the arm 4;. This arm 20, with its cam-plate, is so arranged on theshaft 2 with reference to the movement of the wheel (3 that when theprojection 11 on said wheel comes in contact with the stop 12 thecam-plate will enter a notch 21, formed on the bar 15. During themovement of the shaft 2 with its arms 4 and I necessary to effect theshifting of the pin 8 from the pocket 10 and to operative positionbehind the toe or projection 11 the camplate will effect such atransverse movement of the bar 15 as to shift the shoulder 16 out ofengagement with the switch-operating arm and the shoulder 17 intoengagement with the notch or projection on the signal-wheel 0, so thatthe wheel is locked and the switcharm is free to move during theremaining movement of the shaft 2.

The position of the several parts of the mechanism just described afterthe signal has been shifted by the movement of the wheel (3 is shown inFigs. 3 and 1. It will be observed by reference to said figures that thepin 8 is at this time beginning to ride up on the projections a and Z),and the cam plate 19 has just entered the notch 21 in the bar 15. InFigs. 5 and 6 the several parts are shown when the switch has beenshifted to open siding. lVhile the parts are in this position, the wheelwill remain locked and the switcharm in an unlocked position. By areverse movement of the lever 1 the switch will be first shifted toclear main line. Then the bar will be shifted by its cam-plate to lockthe switch-operating arm 7 and unlock the signal-wheel 6. During thislocking and unlocking movement the pin 8 is moved in the slots in thearms et and at back behind the shoulder a and into the pocket 10, sothat by the continued movement of the lever 1 the wheel 6 will be movedto clear the signal.

It is characteristic of my improvement that by a single continuousmovement of the operating-lever 1 from normal to reverse the signal isshifted to danger, the switch unlocked and then shifted to reverseposition, and that the movement of the lever from reverse to normal theabove operations are reversed. It is also characteristic of theimprovement that the switch is unlocked only while the signal is atdanger.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a switch and signal mechanism, thecombination ofa lever, a signal-shifting mechanism, a switch-shiftingmechanism, a lock for said signal and switch mechanisms and connectionsfrom the lever to the switch and signal shifting mechanisms and thelook, so arranged that the said parts may be operated in d ue successionby a continuous movement of the lever in the same plane, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a switch and signal mechanism, the combination of a shaft,driver-arms secured to said shaft, a signal-operating wheel and aswitch-operating arm, the wheel and arm being loosely mounted on theshaft and con neetions from the driving-arms to the signalwheel andswitch-arm, whereby said parts may be operated in succession in therotation of the shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. In a switch and signal mechanism, the combination of a shaft,driver-arms seeu red to said shaft, a signal operating wheel, aswitch-operating arm, the wheel and arm being mounted on the shaft, alock for preventing the movement of the wheel and arm, and connectionsfrom the driving-arms to the signal-wheel, switch-arm and lock, wherebysaid parts may be operated in succession on the retation of the shaft,substantially as set forth.

-;l-. In a switch and signal apparatus, the combination of a shaft,slotted arms secured to said shaft, a signal-wheel loosely mounted onthe shaft and provided with a slot having a pocket at one end, a pinarranged through the slots in the arms and wheel, and a switcharmloosely mounted on the shaft and provided with a horn or projectionadapted to engage the pin while moving along the slot in the wheel,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES CIIALMERS, .Tn.

Witnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLooirr, F. E. GAI'rHnR.

